News: April 2017

We know that trade and transport of ivory is strictly controlled to safeguard the elephants, and that other animal by-products such as the use of rhino horn is also controlled in an attempt to clamp down on the poaching and illegal trade which affects some of our most threatened species.

The list extends beyond those charismatic species that we’re probably all familiar with.

The organisation responsible for regulating and monitoring trade in wildlife products is the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which 183 countries are signatories.

Another group of species, the devil rays, has now joined that list following a recent CITES meeting, and as of today (4 April 2017) the new regulations will be implemented. One Bangor University student is to play a part in the safeguarding of the devil ray and the already protected manta ray.